Island of Lemurs: Madagascar takes audiences on a spectacular journey to the remote and wondrous world of Madagascar, where lemurs arrived millions of years ago as castaways. They’ve since evolved into hundreds of diverse species, but are now highly...

Narrated by Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges, Dream Big: Engineering Our World will transform how you think about engineering. From the Great Wall of China and the world’s tallest buildings to underwater robots and solar cars, Dream Big celebrates the...

Experience being aboard a modern carrier at sea in the new giant-screen film Aircraft Carrier: Guardian of the Seas, premiering at the Fleet Science Center on Friday, November 10, 2017. This film is screening in California only at the Fleet Science...

Does toast always land butter-side down? What keeps you drier: running in the rain or walking through it? Can you really pull a tablecloth off of a fully set table without disturbing a dish? In this amazing hands-on exhibition, you can put these myths to...

One of the Fleet Science Center’s most popular—and most unusual—exhibitions is back! In Taping Shape 2.0, hundreds of rolls of packing tape are unfurled and bound together to create a world of translucent spaces and tunnels for visitors of all ages to...

Young Scientists is a hands-on preschool science program offered by the Fleet Science Center. This program provides informal learning experiences that support and enhance exploration, create excitement and facilitate scientific discoveries.
The program...

Join us on the last Saturday of each month to investigate exciting science topics. Sessions will be filled with new challenges, hands-on activities and interaction with local scientists. Throughout the year, we will explore an array of fields including...

Have you ever wanted to spend an adventurous night in a museum?
You can have the opportunity to explore mind-boggling illusions, the science behind how human cells are formed, the importance of water conservation and more in our eight interactive...

Explore new frontiers in technology through 3D printing in the Tinkering Studio at the Fleet Science Center. Our next three-session workshop on computer-aided design (CAD) and 3D printing is coming up. The schedule is below. You'll get to design and...

Sometimes the most interesting discussions occur over a beer or a glass of your favorite vino. (Bonus points if you can remember what was said the next morning!) That’s the concept behind Suds & Science, a monthly event that brings scientists face-...

In conjunction with the Center for Ethics in Science and Technology, the Fleet Science Center welcomes guests to encounter science from an ethical viewpoint. Held on the first Wednesday of the month, from October through June, this ongoing series brings...

Upcoming Educator Events Offsite Programs for Educators Teacher Partner Program
Connect with us: Educator E-Newsletter
The Fleet Inquiry Institute for Educators
The Fleet Inquiry Institute is the educator professional development arm of the...

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Join us on the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. or 8:15 p.m. for a tour of the solar system narrated by the Fleet’s astronomer. Journey through the cosmos with us as we explore a new topic each month.
For optimal viewing, each show is...

Awesome Engineers Winter Camp lets kids grab a hard hat for full-day camps devoted to the science of construction. Engineer tall towers, wide bridges and super-strong pyramids! Tinker with simple machines to make your own crazy contraption. Let your creativity go wild, as kids create and build all sorts of things. We will be hosting KEVA plank competitions, tinkering with household electronics, designing objects that can fly and much more. See bottom of calendar for full schedule.

Computer Programming Winter Camp, in collaboration with ThoughtSTEM through UCSD, lets kids learn the basics of a programming language called Scratch to build a full Brick Breaker Game or build a very basic first scene of Mario. Scratch is a programming language developed at MIT that is particularly effective for novice programmers, with drag-and-drop blocks that allow students to engage in programming concepts such as looping and conditionals without having to worry about syntax errors, allowing students to build fun 2D games, animations and art. Students are guided through the process with the help of a UCSD Computer Science PhD student and are given challenges to work through that allow them to be creative and come up with changes to the programs to make them more personal.

Rock Your Holidays! Catch GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked the World, and Get Your Concert Films in IMAX®! Limited Engagement of Rolling Stones at the MAX Began December 26 and Country Music: The Spirit of America Starts January 1!

What:

Rolling Stones at the MAX features their highly acclaimed Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle tour. The Stones’ electrifying performance includes classics like “Satisfaction” and “Brown Sugar,” as well as “Rock & A Hard Place” and “Start Me Up.” Recorded and shot on location in Turin, Berlin and London, Rolling Stones at the MAXsees the band making history once again. The film features some of the band’s greatest hits from the preceding three decades. This is a 90-minute film that will be shown with a 15-minute intermission. No passes, vouchers, coupons or discounts may be used for screenings of this film.

Country Music: The Spirit of America, a journey through America’s landscapes and a century of changes, conveyed through the songs and stories of country music’s most influential and talented performers. More than 50 of country music’s biggest entertainers—from Alan Jackson to Dolly Parton to Dwight Yoakam—perform the classic songs that were born of America’s trials, tribulations and triumphs. Historical footage provides a window to the past, while performances set in the canyons of Utah, the mountains of Appalachia, the deserts of California and the legendary Grand Ole Opry resonate through the power of spectacular large-format cinematography. January 1–5, Daily at 6PM; intermittent schedule through March, check www.rhfleet.org or the Daily Schedule for show times. No passes, vouchers, coupons or discounts may be used for screenings of this film.

Both will play on an intermittent schedule through March; check www.rhfleet.org or the Daily Schedule for show times.

Where:

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s Heikoff Giant Dome Theater

Cost:

Members: Adults $13, Seniors $11, Children $10;

Nonmembers: Adults $17, Seniors $15, Children $14

3)

Learn All About the Ecology and Conservation of Sea Turtles From Biologist Mario J. Mota, and See Amazing Journeys at SENIOR MONDAY on JANUARY 6!

What:

There are only seven different species of sea turtles in the world and they are found in every ocean, except the poles. Their size ranges from a dinner plate to the size of a Volkswagen Beetle car. Some species are very threatened while others have populations that continue to grow. This presentation will describe each of the seven species, show maps of where they live, explain their complicated life cycles and talk about some strange and fascinating facts about sea turtles. Mario J. Mota is a sea turtle biologist, currently working at National University, who has travelled to many locations researching these amazing creatures, including Florida, Belize and Suriname. His research looks at how different issues, such as global warming and habitat destruction, impact sea turtles. The first Monday of the month, seniors 65+ enjoy the Science Center exhibits, a lecture and a Giant Dome Theater show at a discount!

Monday, January 6; 10:30AM lecture, doors open at 9:30AM, 12PM theater show

Where:

The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s Heikoff Giant Dome Theater

Cost:

Seniors $8, Adults $17

4)

Need Some Bling for the New Year? Wednesday, JANUARY 8, THE SKY TONIGHT Brings Out Jewels of the Sky—Date Change Due to the Holiday!

What:

The night sky is dotted with stars that make up the constellations we discuss each month. But as we look closer, we see the star some in a variety of colors and sizes, masses and groupings. Join us in January to learn more about these spectacular jewels of the sky. Our popular monthly live planetarium show of the sky in SD that night reaches a new level of stunning full-color visuals and incredibly realistic simulations of cosmic phenomena with our new state-of-the-art digital projection system. A professional astronomer leads backyard stargazers through the universe. Weather and operational requirements permitting, the SD County Astronomy Association provides free telescope viewing outdoors on the Prado in Balboa Park. This is a change in date—The Sky Tonight is normally held on the first Wednesday of each month. http://www.rhfleet.org/events/sky-tonight

When:

Wednesday, January 8; 7:15 PM and 8 PM

Where:

The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s Heikoff Giant Dome Theater

Cost:

Members: Adults $12, Seniors $11, Children $10;

Nonmembers: Adults $14, Seniors $13, Children $12

5)

New Executive Director Steve Snyder Is Bringing Science Into the Community With The Fleet’s First Science Café: SUDS & SCIENCE—Can Pond Scum Save the World? at Callahan’s in Mira Mesa JANUARY 13! An Evening of Thinking & Drinking!

What:

Dr. Stephen Mayfield kicks off our first Suds & Science event! It’s not a scientific mystery that learning is more fun when you’re drinking with friends and colleagues. And thus, the idea for Suds & Science was born: bimonthly events that bring scientists face-to-face with the general public in a neighborhood bar. The evening begins with a 15- to 20-minute fun-yet-informative presentation, which kicks off an extended discussion between the scientist and the audience—all while the audience drinks along. You’ll learn about everything from the science of beer to superhero physics to the genius of genomes. All of that for the price of a beverage! Suds & Science puts the fun and spirit(s) back into science.

Slash and Burn! GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked the World Has it All: Music. Technology. Science. Video. History. Pop culture. Games. Entertainment. NOW!

What:

Join us for an engaging, entertaining, educational and hands-on experience with one of the most important icons in history: the guitar. The guitar is the single most enduring icon in American history. This fully immersive exhibition explores all facets of the world’s most popular instrument, from its history as an instrument of popular culture over the past 400 years to the science of creating sound with wood and steel. Visitors will experience the science, sound, history and cultural impact of the guitar in an exhibition that contains more than 60 instruments—ranging from the rare and antique to the wildly popular and innovative—along with performance video, audio, hands-on interactives, models, touchscreens, stunning images and photographs. Don’t forget to play the Guinness Record-breaking 43.5 foot-long Flying V, or look for the wooly mammoth fossils inlaid in the neck of one of the guitars!

ROCK IN THE PARK, Our First-Ever Fleet Live Concert Series Begins With the Reggae-Rock of COMMON SENSE and Special Guest MICHAEL TIERNAN, on FRIDAY, JANUARY 17!

What:

Reggae guitar is the best way to kick off the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s Rock in the Park concert series! When it comes to reggae-rock with a southern California vibe, Common Sense stands alone. They've created their own style. And if you’re ready to have a good time, Common Sense is ready to accommodate. Each show also features food by The French Gourmet for purchase; beer, wine and cocktails available at the no-host bar; and the Fleet's 100+ hands-on exhibits open for exploration, including GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked the World. Michael Tiernan opens each show. He hung with monks deep in desert monasteries and lived in the Vatican, but he left the seminary for the higher calling of music, and has since racked up several national and international awards for his songwriting. His acoustic blend has a relaxed vibe mixed with a big city sound. Deep in meaning, yet playful in attitude, Michael’s music takes you from the temple to the tavern and from the beach to downtown. All performances will be held at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, with ample FREE parking in the lot at Space Theater Way at Park Blvd. Come early, get your hands on fun science exhibits, grab a bite to eat, get a beverage and we will rock you!

$25 general admission, in advance; $22 for Fleet members, staff and volunteers; $30 at the door; on sale now online through Eventbrite at www.rock-in-the-park.eventbrite.com; in person at the Fleet ticket counter, open at 10AM daily; or by phone by calling the Fleet’s Client Services Department at (619) 238-1233 x 806.

8)

Science on the Rocks Is Back. And We’re Cranking This Party Up to 11 With THE SCIENCE OF ROCK—SOUNDS & STONES on THURSDAY, JANUARY 23!

What:

Celebrate our new exhibition GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked the World and let your inner rock star take center stage. Explore rocks both musical and metamorphic while making coins shriek, design your dream guitar on a touch screen and reaffirm that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Strum the world’s largest playable guitar. Indulge in savory samples from the Hard Rock Hotel’s Maryjane’s Coffee Shop, barleymash, Uptown Tavern and Sadie Rose Baking Co. Sample sweet sips from California Fruit Wine and enjoy beer from Helm's Brewing Co. and Port Brewing Company/The Lost Abbey. Get the band back together and play Rock Band, courtesy of Mad Catz—all while discovering rock facts through fun presentations and hands-on activities. Are you ready to rock? The latest in a series of science parties for savvy San Diegans 21+.

Mysteries of the Unseen World provides you with an incredible view of things that are normally too slow, too fast, too small or too vast for the human eye to see. The film's innovative use of high-speed and time-lapse photography, electron microscopy and nanotechnology result in larger-than-life images that are stunning to see on the 76-foot Heikoff Giant Dome Theater screen. From the powerful thread of a spider’s web to the slow-motion shatter and splatter of a dropped pitcher of milk, Mysteries of the Unseen World invites you to look at the world in a whole new way. Narrated by Morgan Freeman.

Coral Reef Adventure takes you on a spectacular once-in-a-lifetime journey across the South Pacific! Embark on the expedition with Del Mar’s own veteran underwater filmmakers and ocean explorers Howard and Michele Hall; as they explore and document some of the world’s most beautiful and endangered coral reefs, which may well become extinct within 30 years due to global warming, over-fishing, and pollution. From Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, to a coral reef-sustained village in Fiji, diving expeditions show a range of coral reefs, from a dazzling underwater world filled with unusual and exotic inhabitants, to vast stretches of bleached coral decline. Directed by veteran filmmaker Greg MacGillivray, with music by Crosby Stills & Nash and narration from Liam Neeson. The Giant Screen Theater Association named it the best film achievement of 2003.

Adventures In Wild California illustrates how the beauty and majesty of the state’s many wild places help inspire California’s unique cultural and adventurous spirit. Audiences will careen down an icy, steep face with snowboarders; swim through the ocean with otters and their surrogate human mother; excavate the very heart of a 300-foot tall Sequoia with botanists, and emerge from under the spray of one of California’s biggest, surfable waves. Profiled in Wild California are some of the state’s most passionate adventurers, including skysurfer Troy Hartman, captured on film by freefall cameraman Joe Jennings; snowboarder Bryan Iguchi; Sequoia tree scientist Dr. Stephen Sillett; Maverick’s surfer Jeff Clark; sea otter aquarist Sue Campbell; and bald eagle conservationist Peter Sharpe.

Locals and tourists alike will find the majesty of the Golden State awe-inspiring.

Rolling Stones at the MAX features the band performing during their highly acclaimed Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle tour. The Stones’ electrifying performance includes classics like “Satisfaction” and “Brown Sugar,” as well as “Rock & A Hard Place” and “Start Me Up.” Recorded in Europe and shot on location in Turin, Berlin and London, Rolling Stones at the MAXsees the band making history once again. The film features some of the band’s greatest hits from the preceding three decades. This is a 90-minute film that will be shown with a 15-minute intermission. No passes, vouchers, coupons or discounts may be used for screenings of this film. Holiday schedule: 7PM, December 26–January 5; intermittent performances through March, check the website for details: http://www.rhfleet.org/shows/rolling-stones

Country Music: The Spirit of America features over 50 of country music’s biggest stars in a celebration of the diversity of America as a result of the influx of outside music and cultures. Throughout our nation’s storied history, country music has always been a part of its social and cultural fabric. Audiences will tap their feet to this “feel good” film that makes one proud of America’s accomplishments. Narrated by Hal Holbrook, it traces the growth of country music and key events in the social and political development of America, including immigrant migration , the Great Depression, the social upheaval of the 1960s and the unifying impact of September 11th. They shot all over the US, from the canyons of Utah, the mountains of Appalachia, the heart of Texas, the world-famous Grand Ole Opry stage and the historic Ryman Auditorium, to the deserts of California, as well as County Clare, Ireland. No passes, member cards or vouchers, coupons or discounts may be used for screenings of this film. Holiday schedule: 6PM, January 1–January 5; intermittent performances through March, check the website for details: http://www.rhfleet.org/shows/country-music

If you would like complimentary media tickets to visit the exhibitions or see an IMAX film or Planetarium show, please contact Susan Chicoine directly with your request: schicoine@rhfleet.org or (619) 685-5743 or (619) 325-9416/cell. Let me know what date works for you and how many you need, and I will leave passes at the will-call window in your name.

Grab your hard hat and join us for full-day camps devoted to the science of engineering and construction for Grades 1–2 and 3–4. To register, contact our Client Services Department at 619-238-1233, ext. 806. Members $45/day, nonmembers $50/day.

Monday, December 30: Mega Structures. Use the KEVA planks in our “Block Busters” exhibition to design the tallest tower or build the longest bridge. Return to the classroom to build castles, boats and super-strong pyramids out of unexpected materials.

Tuesday, December 31: Invention Day. Don’t miss the pre-New Year’s count down at 12:00pm—campers will invent their own noise makers and flashing devices to bring in the New Year! After the party, campers will invent a solution to the egg drop challenge!

Thursday, January 2: Tinkering Day. Have you ever wondered how a toaster toasts or what a computer looks like on the inside? Get ready to disassemble and tinker with household objects in this hands-on class. Tools provided – just bring your imagination!

Friday, January 3: High Flying Creations. Take your imagination to new heights by engineering planes, gliders and rockets. Make object soar high the sky and learn the art of floating objects using wind tunnels.

DECEMBER 30–JANUARY 3––Computer Programming Winter Camps.

Students in grades 4-6 are invited to join us two week-long, half-day camps devoted to computer programming, in partnership with ThoughtSTEM. Explore two different programming languages and approaches to computing. Sign up for morning, afternoon or both. To register, please contact our Client Services Department at 619-238-1233, ext. 806. Members $300/week, nonmembers $325/week.

Mornings: Scratch Brick Breakers Camp/Afternoons: Scratch Mario Camp.

JANUARY—No Exploring Ethics lecture

JANUARY—No Family Science Saturdays in the Tinkering Studio

JANUARY 9–FEBRUARY 2––Young Scientists session 4 Kid Chemistry will experiment with Solids, Liquid, Gases, Oh My!, Acids and Bases, Mixtures and Solutions and Radical Reactions. Preschoolers age 3–5 (and a parent) explore the scientific wonders of the world through experimentation, investigation and scientific questioning. Four 4-week sessions run monthly. Limited to eight students per class. Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday morning. 9AM–10:30AM. Members $75, non-members $85. See more at: http://www.rhfleet.org/events/young-scientists

JANUARY 11—Saturday Science Club for Girls: The Science of Sound. Take a closer look at the science behind your favorite instruments and even design your own noisemaker to take home. Be one of the first guests to take a tour through the Fleet’s new exhibit: GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked the World! Girls in grades 5–8 can join the Fleet on the second Saturday of each month to investigate exciting science topics. 12 noon–2PM; members $12, nonmembers $14; must pre-register by calling (619) 238-1233 x806.

JANUARY 19––Original end date for Cosmic Collisions; now extended into February 2014.

JANUARY 19—IMAX® en Español presents Forces of Nature. It is one thing to contemplate the immense power of nature, another to experience these forces first-hand. Forces of Nature showcases the awesome spectacle of earthquakes, volcanoes and severe storms by following several scientists on their groundbreaking quests to understand how these natural disasters are triggered. Learn what is being done to predict and prepare for, and minimize the deadly effects of, Earth’s most destructive forces. San Diegan George Casey directs the film and his son, Sean, is the Director of Photography. IMAX en Español is an opportunity for you and your family to enjoy IMAX films in Spanish. Additionally, headsets are available free of charge for audiences to listen to available Spanish soundtracks when films with English soundtracks play. Many of our exhibits feature bilingual explanatory text. 4PM. Admission for one film and the Fleet’s exhibit galleries, which feature more than 100 hands-on exhibits for all ages, members: $13 for adults, seniors ages 65+. $11, children $10; non-members: Adults $17, seniors $15, children $14.

About the Fleet Science Center

The Fleet Science Center connects people of all ages to the possibilities and power of science to create a better future. At the science center, you can explore and investigate more than 100 interactive exhibits that pique your curiosity and become immersed in an IMAX film adventure that shows the wonders of the planet—and beyond—in the Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn Jacobs Heikoff Giant Dome Theater. For young science enthusiasts, the Fleet hosts school field trips, science workshops and educational camps. For adults, we offer events like Fleet Night of Science and community events, such as Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar. In the community, we provide free neighborhood science events weekly through 52 Weeks of Science. Teachers are encouraged to join our Teacher Partner Program and take advantage of our professional development opportunities. Additionally, at the Fleet Science Center, visitors will find unique educational toys and games, books, IMAX DVDs and more in the North Star Science Store, and pizzas, sandwiches, salads and healthy treats in Craveology. Located at 1875 El Prado, two blocks south of the San Diego Zoo on Park Blvd., the Fleet is San Diego’s science center. Science starts here and opens a world of possibility. For information regarding current admission prices, please call (619) 238-1233 or visit our website at fleetscience.org.